N    ; 


3fl 


GIFT  OF 


REPORT 


on 


Passenger  Subway  and 

Elevated  Railroad  Development 

in  Chicago 


Prepared  for  the 

Committee  on  Traffic  and  Transportation 
of  the  City  Club  of  Chicago 

by 

CHARLES  K.  MOHLER 

Consulting  Engineer 


Published  by  the 

CITY  CLUB   OF  CHICAGO 

315  Plymouth  Court 

April,  1912 


REPORT 


on 


Passenger  Subway  and 

Elevated  Railroad  Development 

in  Chicago 


Prepared  for  the 

Committee  on  Traffic  and  Transportation 
of  the  City  Club  of  Chicago 

by 

CHARLES  K.  MOHLER 

Consulting  Engineer 


Published  by  the 

CITY  CLUB  OF  CHICAGO 

315  Plymouth  Court 

April,  1912 


« 


S&r* 


May  11,  1912. 

To  the  Committee  on  Local  Transportation  of  the  City  Council 
of  Chicago. 

GENTLEMEN: — The  City  Club  Committee  on  Traffic  and 
Transportation,  with  the  approval  of  the  Directors,  begs  to  hand 
you  herewith  a  report  prepared  by  Mr.  Charles  K.  Mohler,  con- 
sulting engineer  and  member  of  the  committee,  recommending 
the  development  in  Chicago  of  certain  elevated  railway  and 
subway  facilities.  While  the  committee  has  not  endeavored  to 
pass  final  judgment  upon  these  recommendations,  the  report  is 
believed  to  be  a  valuable  and  timely  contribution  upon  a  subject 
of  great  public  importance,  and  its  conclusions,  together  with  the 
grounds  upon  which  they  are  urged,  are  regarded  as  worthy  of 
careful  consideration  by  your  committee. 

If  your  committee  should  wish  to  have  Mr.  Mohler  appear 
before  your  body  to  discuss  the  recommendations  in  the  report, 

he  will  be  ready  to  do  so. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

CITY  CLUB  COMMITTEE  ON  TRAFFIC  AND  TRANSPORTATION. 

By  Samuel  Dauchy,  Chairman. 

Approved  by  the  Directors  of  the 
City  Club  of  Chicago. 

By  George  E.  Hooker,  Civic  Secretary. 


32884*) 


CHICAGO,  ILL.,  October  8,  1911. 

To  the  Committee  on  Traffic  and  Transportation  of  the  City  Club 
of  Chicago. 

GENTLEMEN  : — In  accordance  with  the  request  of  the  Com- 
mittee some  months  since,  I  attended  the  various  hearings  on  the 
question  of  subways  held  before  the  Committee  on  Local  Trans- 
portation of  the  City  Council  during  the  spring  and  summer. 
Of  the  various  projects  presented  there  were  none  which  seemed 
to  the  writer  to  embody  all  of  the  necessary  and  desirable  features 
of  a  subway  system  in  itself.  Several  of  the  projects  presented 
had  exceptionally  good  features,  while  others  had  very  few 
features  of  real  merit.  After  hearing  the  different  projects  pre- 
sented and  discussed,  and  having  given  the  subject  some  con- 
sideration, I  beg  to  submit  the  following  as  a  preliminary  outline 
report  on  the  situation. 


Engineer. 


CONDITION  AND  POSSIBLE  IMPROVEMENTS 

OF  PRESENT  LOCAL  PASSENGER 

TRANSPORTATION. 

The  need  for  added  and  improved  transportation  facilities 
to  relieve  congestion  in  the  present  business  district  of  Chicago, 
and  to  provide  for  adequate  enlargement  and  future  growth,  has 
become  acute  for  both  the  surface  street  car  lines  and  the  rapid 
transit  or  elevated  lines.  As  each  kind  of  traffic  has  distinctive 
features  and  needs,  the  situation  will  be  considered  under  Sur- 
face Lines  and  Elez'dted  Lines. 

SURFACE  LINES. 

Present  Conditions 

In  talking  with  a  representative  of  the  Chicago  Railways 
Company  some  time  since,  I  was  told  that  this  company  is  op- 
erating practically  all  the  cars  in  the  loop  district  during  the  rush 
hours  that  it  is  possible  for  them  to  handle.  Without  going  into 
an  exhaustive  study  it  may  be  remarked  that  the  lines  of  greatest 
congestion  at  the  present  time  are  the  lines  operating  on  Wabash 
Avenue,  State  Street  and  Clark  Street,  in  north  and  south  direc- 
tions ;  to  the  northwest  the  lines  operating  over  Milwaukee  Ave- 
nue produce  very  great  congestion  on  this  thorougM are ;  of  those 
to  the  west  the  Madison  Street  line  carries  a  very  heavy  traffic. 
The  greatest  delay  in  the  operation  of  surface  cars  in  the  loop 
district  is  caused  by  cars  crossing  each  other's  lines,  making 
loop  turns  and  crossing  their  own  lines. 

Immediate  Relief  May  Be  Had  in  Part. 

If  the  most  effective  possible  through-routing  were  estab- 
lished for  the  surface  lines,  as  well  as  looping  those  cars  which 
cannot  through-route,  so  as  to  make  two  of  their  turns  and  cross 
their  own  traffic  outside  of  the  congested  business  center,  it  would 
be  possible  to  put  almost,  if  not  quite,  double  the  number  of  cars 
through  the  business  district  that  are  now  operated.  To  illustrate, 
on  Wabash  Avenue  and  State  Street,  the  cars  of  the  Chicago  City 
Railway  turn  back  at  the  north  end  of  the  loop  district.  This 


6  SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  /?.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 

means  that  the  cars  turning  back  are  running  half  of  their  trip 
through  the  business  district  empty  or  on  dead  mileage.  In 
other  words,  if  cars  were  run  straight  through  without  turning 
back,  the  same  occupancy  by  cars  on  the  trackage  inside  of  the 
business  district  during  the  rush  hours  would  furnish  facilities 
for  taking  out  or  delivering  double  the  number  of  passengers 
now  carried  in  a  given  time. 

To  illustrate  the  suggestions  for  a  line  looping  with  two  turns 
and  crossing  its  own  traffic  outside  the  present  congested  center : 
The  Madison  cars  run  east  to  *Franklin,  turn  north  on  *Frarik- 
lin  to  Washington,  east  on  Washington  to  State,  south  on  State 
to  Madison,  and  west  on  Madison  to  their  terminus.  The  Mil- 
waukee Avenue  cars  turn  east  on  Washington  from  Desplaines 
Street,  and  continue  to  State  Street,  south  on  State  Street  to 
Madison,  on  Madison  to  *  Franklin,  north  on  *Franklin  to  Wash- 
ington, and  west  on  Washington  to  Desplaines,  and  turn  north  on 
Desplaines.  The  delay  occasioned  by  looping  and  crossing  their 
own  traffic  and  entering  and  leaving  the  same  junctions  on 
*  Franklin  Street  all  occurs  now  in  the  congested  business  district. 
If  the  inbound  Madison  Street  cars  were  turned  north  at 
Clinton  Street  to  reach  Washington,  and  the  outbound  Milwaukee 
Avenue  cars  continued  west  on  Madison  Street  to  Desplaines 
to  turn  north  and  complete  their  loops,  one  leg  of  the  loop  trip 
and  the  turns  and  crossings  now  made  on  *Franklin  would  be 
transferred  to  Clinton  and  Desplaines  streets  on  little  used  tracks 
outside  of  the  congested  district.  Two  of  the  turns  west  bound 
now  made  by  the  Milwaukee  line  would  be  eliminated  entirely. 
Many  other  like  advantageous  routings  could  be  worked  out 
and  put  into  effect. 

ELEVATED  LINES. 

Present  Conditions. 

In  some  respects  the  rapid  transit  situation,  as  exemplified 
•in  the  elevated  lines,  is  even  worse  on  the  score  of  congestion 
and  delay  than  the  surface  lines.    With  the  great  number  of  trains 
brought  in  from  the  various  roads  to  be  passed  through  the  busi- 
ness district  during  the  rush  hours,  the  congestion  has  become 

•La  Salle  is  now  used  Instead  of  Franklin. 


ADDITIONAL  FACILITIES.  7 

so  great  that  the  trackage  is  totally  inadequate  to  handle  them 
by  the  present  method  of  loop  operation.  The  delays  that  are 
felt  most  by  the  patrons  of  the  roads  are  those  occurring  in  the 
morning  in  approaching  and  gaining  entrance  to  the  loop  tracks. 
By  far  the  greatest  single  item  of  delay  to  the  operation  of 
trains  around  the  loop  is  that  caused  by  the  grade  crossing  junc- 
tions. About  eighty-five  trains  per  hour,  passing  on  and  off  the 
inner  track,  have  to  pass  about  sixty-five  trains  operating  on  the 
outer  track.  One  line  of  trains  on  the  outer  loop  track  inbound 
cross  the  other  line  outbound  at  grade.  There  is,  in  addition, 
the  delay  caused  at  the  switch  junctions  in  setting  the  switches 
and  signals  and  dispatching  the  trains  to  and  from  their  re- 
spective lines. 

Available  Means  for  Improvement. 

From  an  operating  standpoint,  the  elevated  situation  is  more 
encouraging  than  the  surface  lines  for  obtaining  increased  ca- 
pacity and  relieving  delay  and  congestion. 

If  the  most  effective  through-routing  were  put  in  operation 
it  would  be  possible  to  pass  through  the  business  district  about 
two  hundred  per  cent  more  cars  than  are  now  operated  in  an  hour 
during  the  rush  hours.  For  instance,  instead  of  a  possible  maxi- 
mum of  about  735  cars  per  hour,  it  should  be  possible  to  put 
through  a  maximum  of  about  2,200  cars  per  hour.  With  through- 
routing  the  junction  interference  can  be  very  largely  reduced.  The 
time  now  taken  to  run  dead  mileage  for  half  the  loop  trip  (nearly 
eight  minutes  on  an  average)  would  be  devoted  to  carrying 
traffic. 

From  the  above  brief  statements  it  will  be  seen  that  we 
have  fallen  far  short  of  making  the  best  possible  use  of  the 
trackage  facilities  we  already  possess  for  handling  both  surface 
and  rapid  transit  traffic. 

DEVELOPMENT   OF  ADDITIONAL   FACILITIES. 
A.— SUBWAYS. 
B.-ELEVATED  RAILROADS. 

The  traffic  demands  of  the  city  are  growing  at  such  a  rate 
that  added  facilities  must  be  provided  not  only  for  the  surface 


8  SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 

lines,  but  for  the  rapid  transit  as  well.  The  conditions  will  prob- 
ably be  such  that  as  soon  as  a  new  facility  is  put  in  operation  it 
will  have  been  outgrown  by  new  demands. 

General  Principles. 

As  a  general  proposition,  with  some  exceptions,  in  providing 
new  or  added  transportation  facilities  to  relieve  operating  conges- 
tion, they  should  be  provided  as  nearly  as  may  be  on  the  old 
established  routes  of  travel. 

The  question  should  be  considered  as  to  whether  the  pro- 
posed facilities  will  actually  relieve  congestion,  or  whether  they 
will  ultimately,  if  not  immediately,  lead  to  still  greater  conges- 
tion. 

Other  things  being  equal,  the  routes  selected  should  be  those 
which  can  be  constructed  at  the  least  expense,  relieve  congestion, 
follow  the  most  direct  lines  with  the  least  turns  and  curvature, 
eliminate  the  greatest  number  of  grade  crossing  interference, 
and  offer  facilities  for  enlarging  rather  than  restricting  the  de- 
livery territory. 

Danger  oi  Increasing  Congestion 

Some  of  the  plans  presented  at  the  hearings  are  open  to  the 
objection  that  they  would  tend  to  still  further  increase  the  con- 
gestion rather  than  to  relieve  it,  as  a  result  of  the  centering  of 
the  main  arteries  largely  at  one  particular  terminal,  or  on  some 
particular  street. 

A.— SUBWAYS 

State  St.  and  Wabash  Ave.  Not  Most  Desirable 

There  seems  to  be  considerable  sentiment,  without  any  ap- 
parent good  reason,  for  the  construction  of  the  first  subway  on 
State  Street.  In  my  judgment,  the  construction  of  subways  for 
either  surface  or  rapid  transit  lines,  first  on  either  State  Street 
or  Wabash  Avenue,  would  be  injudicious,  for  the  following 
reasons : 

1.  On  neither  of  these  streets  are  there  any  grade  crossings 
of  surface  lines. 


"SURFACE  CAR"  SUBWAY  ROUTES.  9 

2.  The  east  and  west  team  traffic  crossing  these  streets  is 
much  less  than  on  the  streets  farther  west. 

3.  Each  of  these  streets  is  100  feet  in  width  (State  Street 
is  120  feet  north  of  Madison  to  the  river),  and  are  better  able  to 
take  care  of  the  street  car  and  team  traffic  on  their  surface  with- 
out congestion  than  are  the  streets  farther  west,  which  are  only 
80  feet  in  width. 

4.  Wabash  Avenue  is  already  provided  with  elevated  rapid 
transit. 

5.  State  Street  is  already  the  center  of  congestion.    Addi- 
tions to  transportation  facilities  should  be  made  such  that  people 
will  be  led  away  from  rather  than  brought  to  this  already  crowded 
center. 

With  the  above  facts  in  view,  it  is  believed  that  the  routes 
described  below  are  the  most  necessary  or  desirable  on  which  to 
begin  the  first  subway  construction  (see  Plate  1). 

The  subject  of  routing  will  be  considered  under  "Surface 
Car"  Subways  (to  relieve  congestion)  ;  Rapid  Transit  Subways. 

"SURFACE  CAR"  SUBWAYS. 

Service  to  the  West  Side  (Including  Northwest  and  Southwest.) 

To  accommodate  the  surface  car  traffic  to  the  Northwest, 
West  and  Southwest  sides  of  the  city  it  is  believed  that  the  con- 
struction of  the  first  subway  would  best  be  about  as  follows : 

LAKE  STREET — GRANT  PARK — HARRISON  STREET. 

Beginning  on  Lake  Street,  west  of  Halsted  Street,  and 
building  eastward  in  the  north  half  of  Lake  Street  to  the  proposed 
widened  Michigan  Avenue,  thence  turning  south  and  into  Grant 
Park  and  continuing  south  in  Grant  Park  as  far  as  Harrison 
Street,  and  turning  west  on  Harrison  Street  to  a  junction  with 
the  Blue  Island  Avenue  line  just  west  of  Halsted  Street. 

Also  a  branch  in  the  north  half  of  Milwaukee  Avenue,  from 
a  point  west  of  Halsted  Street  to  a  junction  with  the  Lake  Street 
subway. 


10  SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 

Advantages  and  Reasons  for  Selecting. 

These  routes  are  suggested  for  the  following  reasons : 

1.  Any   north   and    south   subways    which   may   be   con- 
structed will  be  on  a  low  level,  on  reaching  Lake  Street,  on  ac- 
count of  the  deep  river  crossing,  so  that  the  subway  on  this  street 
would  naturally  be  on  a  high  level  and  not  interfere  with  any 
other  construction  crossing  this  route,  or  require  one  subway  at 
low  level  for  the  sole  purpose  of  crossing  under,  as  would  be  the 
case  on  any  street  farther  south. 

2.  It  will  eliminate  all  of  the  grade  crossings  of  the  present 
north  and  south  surface  lines  crossing  Lake  Street. 

3.  The   cost  in   money  and  the  time  taken  to  construct 
through  Grant  Park  will  be  the  least  possible   (probably  about 
one-fifth  of  that  for  street  subway)  of  any  north  and  south  con- 
necting route  that  can  be  selected. 

4.  In  constructing  on  Harrison  Street  west  to  Blue  Island 
Avenue,  the  same  facts  as  mentioned  for  Lake  Street  are  true, 
with  the  exception  of  the  crossings  of  future  north  and  south 
subways.     The  construction  on  Harrison  Street  should  prefer- 
ably be  a  low  level  subway,  with  the  north  and  south  subways 
crossing  over  it  by  high  levels  on  account  of  the  proposed  portals 
a  short  distance  faither  south. 

5.  Lake  Street  being  near  the  north,  Grant  Park  at  the 
east  and  Harrison  Street  toward  the  south  limit  of  the  present 
business  district,  traffic  would  be  led  away  from  the  center  of 
sidewalk  congestion,  now  located  approximately  at  State  and 
Madison  streets,  and  give   stations  at  a  number  of   divergent 
points  for  receiving  and  discharging  passengers,  rather  than  a 
few  at  the  already  congested  centers.    The  subway  will  connect 
with  both  diagonal  and  direct  thoroughfares  at  each  end  (Mil- 
waukee and  Blue  Island  avenues  diagonal  and  Lake  and  Harri- 
son streets  due  west).    It  will  thus  give  the  shortest  and  quick- 
est line  of  communication  from  the  downtown  district  to  the 
Northwest,  West  and  Southwest  portions  of  the  city,  without 
crossing  interferences  and  delays  in  the  business  district. 

6.  As  a  new  bridge  will  have  to  be  constructed  on  Lake 


"SURFACE  CAR"  SUBWAY  ROUTES.  11 

Street,  the  new  abutments  can  be  designed  to  take  care  of  the 
tunnel  crossing  much  better  than  can  be  done  under  a  bridge 
already  constructed. 

7.  Milwaukee  Avenue  is  one  of  the  worst  congested  streets 
and  should  be  afforded  relief. 

8.  The  movement  of  vehicles  on  Lake  Street  is  impeded 
and  car  traffic  interfered  with  on  account  of  the  elevated  columns 
standing  in  the  narrow   roadway,   requiring  moving  teams   to 
turn  onto  the  car  tracks  to  pass  standing  vehicles  and  is  a  very 
serious  factor  in  causing  delay  to  the  surface  cars  now  operating 
over  it. 

Method  of  Operation. 

The  method  of  operation  would  be  for  the  cars  coming  in 
on  Milwaukee  Avenue  to  route  through  the  subways  out  Blue 
Island  Avenue  and  vice-versa.  Operation  over  Lake  and  Har- 
rison would  follow  the  same  plan  of  coming  in  on  one  and  going 
out  on  the  other. 


CLARK  STREET  (SHORT  TRIP),  LAKE  TO  HARRISON  STREET. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  a  double-track  north  and  south 
subway  on  the  west  side  of  Clark  Street  might  well  be  con- 
structed to  connect  with  the  Lake  Street  and  Harrison  Street 
subways,  for  the  following  reasons: 

1.  It  would  take  care  of  a  large  volume  of  traffic  originat- 
ing in  the  vicinity  of  Clark  Street. 

2.  It    would    save    occupancy    of    tracks    and    consequent 
dead  mileage  and  congestion  of  cars  operating  in  the  Lake  Street 
subway  from  Clark  Street  to  Grant  Park,  in  Grant  Park  from 
Lake  Street  to  Harrison  Street,  and  on  Harrison  Street  from 
Grant  Park  to  Clark  Street.     All  traffic  that  made  use  of  the 
Clark  Street  short  line  would  relieve  the  above-mentioned  por- 
tions of  the  subway  passing  through  the  business  district  to  just 
about  that  degree. 

3.  It  will  give  a  point  of  contact  for  transfer  to  the  north 


12  SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 

and  south  lines  using  a  subway  in  the  east  portion  of  the  street 
(to  be  described  later). 

4.  In  relieving  congestion  and  eliminating  dead  mileage 
by  short  tripping  through  this  proposed  subway,  grade  crossings 
are  avoided  on  all  lines  crossed  entering  from  the  west  side. 

Service  to  the  North  and  South  Sides. 

At  present  all  of  the  surface  line  traffic  from  the  business 
district  to  the  south  side  has  to  pass  out  over  three  streets — 
Wabash  Avenue,  State  Street  and  Clark  Street,  with  no  expan- 
sion or  divergence  until  Eighteenth  Street  is  reached,  over  a 
mile  outside  the  main  district.  These  are  already  the  most 
congested  lines  in  the  city. 


CLARK  STREET  (THROUGH). 

As  before  pointed  out,  the  construction  of  a  surface  car 
subway  north  and  south  through  the  business  district  should 
have  for  one  of  its  primary  objects  the  elimination  of  the  greatest 
possible  number  of  surface  line  grade  crossings.  With  the  lim- 
ited investigation  and  study  I  have  been  able  to  give  the  matter, 
I  am  inclined  to  believe,  that  for  the  following  reasons  the  con- 
struction of  a  double-track  (four  tracks  from  Lake  Street  to 
Harrison  Street,  with  the  through  tracks  on  the  east)  subway  on 
Clark  Street  beginning  about  Illinois  Street  on  the  north  and 
ending  at  about  Taylor  Street  on  the  south  should  be  preferable 
to  any  other  through  or  near  the  center  of  the  business  district : 

1.  Clark   Street   is   continuous   through   the   business   dis- 
trict and  carries  on  continuous  lines  outside  the  business  district 
some  of  the  heaviest  traffic  to  the  North  and  South  sides. 

2.  Nearly  all  of  the  lines  coming  in  from  the  West  Side 
reach  and  cross  this  street  either  in  through  routing,  looping  or 
turning  back,  thereby  causing  one  of  the  most  serious  factors  in 
present  congestion  and  delay  in  the  business  district. 

3.  While  it  passes  through  near  the  center  of  the  busi- 
ness district  between  the  lake  and  the  river,  it  is  not  at  present 


"SURFACE  CAR"  SUBWAY  ROUTES.  13 

a  distinctively  congested  district,  as  far  as  sidewalk  occupancy 
by  pedestrians  is  concerned. 

MICHIGAN  BLVD.  EXTENSION — GRANT  PARK — INDIANA  AVE. 

In  addition  to  the  suggested  facilities  for  Clark  Street,  there 
will  be  still  others  needed  to  relieve  the  growing  congestion  on 
State  Street  and  Wabash  Avenue.  It  is  believed  this  can  be  well 
accomplished  by  the  construction  of  a  subway  well  to  the  east  on 
about  the  following  route:  Beginning  at  some  point  north  of 
Chicago  Avenue,  and  construct  along  Pine  Street  or  the  pro- 
posed widening  of  Michigan  Avenue,  south  under  the  Chicago 
River  to  Grant  Park,  thence  turning  easterly  to  near  the  east 
side  of  Grant  Park,  and  continuing  on  that  side  of  the  park  to 
the  south  end;  thence  under  the  Illinois  Central  station,  and 
across  Twelfth  Street,  to  and  along  Indiana  Avenue.  The  portal 
could  be  conveniently  located  south  of  Twelfth  Street,  and  on 
the  east  side  of  *Indiana  Avenue,  the  line  changing  over  to  the 
east  side  before  coming  to  the  surface.  Thence,  continue  along 
the  east  line  of  Indiana  Avenue,  adjoining  the  right-of-way  of 
the  Illinois  Central  Railroad,  to  about  Fifteenth  Street,  thence 
along  the  center  of  Indiana  Avenue  to  Eighteenth  Street,  where 
the  surface  tracks  would  connect  with  the  present  tracks  on  In- 
diana Avenue. 

Reasons  for  Selection. 

The  following  are  reasons  for  this  proposed  line: 

1.  The  North  Side  is  at  present  poorly  served  with  trans- 
portation from  the  territory  at  the  north  part  of  the  proposed 
location  (Chicago  Avenue  and  Pine  street),  to  the  present  busi- 
ness district. 

2.  The  construction  could  be  carried  out  before  the  com- 
pletion  of   the   proposed   boulevard   link   construction   on    Pine 
Street  and  Michigan,  north  of  Randolph,  and  at  the  least  possible 
cost  on  that  account. 


*  Since  the  above,  was  written  the  proposition  to  widen  Indiana  Avenue 
to  130  feet  has  been  advanced  by  the  writer  in  connection  with  the  con- 
troversy with  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad,  involving  the  proposed  lake 
front  improvement. 


14  SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 

3.  For  the  harbor  and  docks  to  be  established  north  of 
the  river,  on  the  lake  front,  adequate  surface  transportation  fa- 
cilities will  be  required.     This  route  will  be  well  adapted  for 
that  purpose. 

4.  The   construction  through   Grant    Park   can   be   more 
cheaply  and  expeditiously  accomplished  than  any  other  available 
route. 

5.  It  is  so  located,  that  while  serving  it  also  leads  traffic 
away  from  the  already  congested  districts. 

6.  It  will  give  several  points  of  contact  for  transfer  with 
the  proposed  routing  for  the  West  side  to  reach  the  Northwest, 
West  and  Southwest  sides. 

7.  It  will  afford  a  much  needed  additional  outlet  to  the 
South  side  to  relieve  the  congestion  on  Wabash  Avenue  and 
State  Street. 

8.  The  stretch  of  surface  lines  on  Indiana  Avenue  from 
Twelfth  to  Sixteenth  Streets  would  be  without  street  crossings, 
and  could  be  operated  at  a  higher  efficiency  than  on  Wabash 
and  State.    The  line  does  not  have  to  make  any  turns  or  cross 
other  lines  of  traffic  to  reach  Indiana  Avenue. 

The  above  routes  are  the  most  direct,  and  embody  the  least 
number  of  angles  and  turns.  With  the  grade  crossings  elimi- 
nated and  the  new  routes  established,  very  material  relief  from 
congestion  would  be  had. 

RAPID    TRANSIT    LINES. 

Outside  of  the  restricted  business  district,  it  may  be  said 
that  with  few  exceptions  the  present  elevated  lines  have  ample 
capacity  to  carry  much  heavier  traffic  than  they  are  handling  to- 
day. Not  taking  into  account  the  "loop"  situation,  all  of  the 
elevated  roads,  with  the  exception  of  the  four-track  Metropolitan 
West  Side  Elevated  Railway,  are  handicapped  by  having  only 
double  track  structures  for  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  outside 
the  loop.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  for  the  most  effi- 
cient service  liberal  trackage  should  be  supplied  to  the  congested 
delivery  district. 


RAPID  TRANSIT  SUBWAY  ROUTES.  15 

By  furnishing  adequate  trackage  in  and  adjacent  to  the 
business  district  to  connect  with  the  three-track  line  of  the  South 
Side  Elevated  Railroad,  and  the  four-track  line  of  the  North- 
western Elevated  Railroad,  and  the  operation  of  from  eight  to 
ten-car  express  trains,  the  capacity  of  these  roads  could  possibly 
be  increased  anywhere  from  two  to  four  hundred  per  cent,  over 
the  traffic  they  are  handling  at  present.  It  is  an  almost  universal 
complaint  by  the  management  of  the  elevated  roads  of  Chicago 
that  they  are  not  paying  investments.  I  believe  that  if  adequate 
facilities  were  established  for  handling  passengers  in  and  adja- 
cent to  the  business  district,  that  an  enormously  increased  traffic 
would  go  to  the  elevated  railroads.  As  the  construction  of  addi- 
tional elevated  lines  in  the  business  district  is  probably  out  of 
the  question,  the  only  avaliable  means  for  increasing  rapid  transit 
facilities  in  this  immediate  district  would  seem  to  be  the  selection 
and  construction  of  subways  on  the  most  feasible  and  practicable 
routes  available.  Subways  to  form  connections  with  outlying 
elevated  roads  should  give  the  most  direct  connections  possible 
from  the  present  routing  in  the  downtown  district,  so  as  to  de- 
range the  present  established  routes  of  travel  as  little  as  possible 
when  the  elevated  "loop"  is  supplanted  by  subway  operation. 
The  following  routing  is  suggested : 

RAPID  TRANSIT  SUBWAYS. 

Service  to  the  Went  Side. 

LAKE  STREET — GRANT  PARK — VAN  BUREN  STREET. 

Construct  a  subway  on  Lake  Street  to  connect  with  the  Chi- 
cago and  Oak  Park  Elevated  Railroad,  beginning  as  far  east  as 
moderate  gradients  will  give  the  required  depth  for  crossing  un- 
der the  Chicago  River,  continuing  east  to  the  proposed  widened 
Michigan  Boulevard,  thence  turning  south  to  and  through  Grant 
Park,  following  parallel  with  and  to  the  west  of  all  other  pro- 
posed north  and  south  lines  previously  outlined,  or  to  be  men- 
tioned later,  as  far  as  Van  Buren  Street,  turning  west  on  Van 
Buren  and  constructing  a  subway  along  Van  Buren  Street  to 
such  point  west  of  the  river  as  may  be  reached  with  moderate 


16  SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 

ascending  grades  for  a  connection  to  the  Metropolitan  West  Side 
Elevated  Railway.  This  routing  is  considered  advisable  for  the 
following  reasons  (See  Plate  1)  : 

Advantages  of  Route. 

1.  It  brings  the  Chicago  and  Oak  Park  Elevated  Railroad 
directly  in  over  its  present  route.    It  would  also  afford  a  routing 
for  the  Logan  Square  and  Humboldt  Park  branches  of  the  Met- 
ropolitan West  Side  Elevated  Railway  to  save  an  enormous 
amount  of  dead  mileage  over  their  present  routing  out  of  and 
into  the  business  district.    This  would  not  only  be  a  great  saving 
to  the  elevated  railroad  itself,  but  a  great  saving  in  time  and  a 
great  convenience  to  the  patrons  of  these  lines. 

2.  It  brings  the  rapid  transit  traffic  of  these  lines  within 
touch  of  the  steamer  docks  extending  along  the  river  from  Fifth 
Avenue  east. 

3.  The  same  reasons  given  in  discussing  the  surface  line 
subway  in  Lake  Street  would  apply  in  a  large  measure  to  the 
rapid  transit  subway  in  Lake  Street. 

4.  As  previously  mentioned,  the  construction  through  Grant 
Park  will  be  much  less  expensive  in  time  and  money,  than  thorugh 
any  of  the  downtown  streets. 

5.  There  will  be  a  tendency  to  relieve  sidewalk  congestion 
by  taking  traffic  to  stations  at  divergent  points  rather  than  bring- 
ing it  to  a  more  restricted  center. 

6.  There  is  no  special  reason  for  recommending  the  con- 
struction in  Van  Buren  rather  than  Jackson,  except  that  it  would 
follow  the  present  established  route  of  travel  furnished  by  the 
elevated  structure  and  would  not  restrict  the  delivery  district 
to  the  extent  that  it  would  be  if  constructed  on  Jackson.     Of 
course,  the  difficulties  of  constructing  under  the  elevated  struct- 
ures would  be  greater  than  under  a  street  not  so  occupied. 

Without  having  considered  the  matter  further,  there  is  no 
recommendation  as  to  whether  the  construction  on  Van  Buren 
Street  should  be  of  the  high  or  low  level  throughout  or  with  un- 
dulating grades  to  alternate  high  and  low  levels. 


RAPID  TRANSIT  SUBWAY  ROUTES.  17 

Four  Tracks  and  Junctions  Without  Grade  Crossings. 

The  construction  of  a  four-track  subway  on  Lake  Street, 
which  is  eighty  feet  wide,  two  tracks  for  surface  cars  and  two 
for  rapid  transit,  with  five  and  six  tracks  at  junction  connections, 
will  undoubtedly  be  attended  with  considerable  difficulty  and 
expense  on  account  of  approaching  so  near  the  building  lines. 
By  alternating  the  stations  and  using  island  platforms  with  the 
necessary  cross-over  footways,  the  width  can  be  kept  down  to 
reasonable  dimensions. 


FIFTH  AVENUE  (SHORT  TRIP). 

A  double  track  route  should  be  built  on  the  west  half  of 
Fifth  Avenue  from  Van  Buren  to  Lake  Street.  The  main  reasons 
for  the  construction  of  this  line  may  be  enumerated  as  follows: 

1.  With   the   constant   growth   of   traffic   in   the   business 
district  and  the  removal  of  the  elevated  "loop"  structure  trackage 
will  be  needed  to  take  care  of  traffic  originating  in  this  territory 
to  be  taken  to  the  west  and  now  accommodated  by  the  "loop" 
tracks. 

2.  It  will  allow  short  tripping  of  trains  at  least  during  rush 
hours  to  save  congestion  and  dead  mileage  resulting  from  all 
trains  passing  to  the  eastern  portion  of  the  business  district. 

3.  It  will  give  a  point  of  contact  for  transfer  to  the  through 
north  and  south  route  on  the  West  Side  of  the  business  district. 


MILWAUKEE  AVENUE,  HALSTED  TO  LAKE  STREET. 

To  give  a  short  and  more  direct  route  from  the  Northwest 
Side  to  the  business  district,  rapid  transit  facilities  should  be 
provided  on  Milwaukee  Avenue  from  Paulina  to  Lake  streets. 
As  a  part  of  these  added  facilities  it  is  believed  a  subway  should 
be  constructed  to  connect  with  the  proposed  subway  on  Lake 
Street.  This  subway  to  reach  the  surface  and  form  a  junction 
with  the  proposed  elevated  on  or  near  Milwaukee  Avenue,  at 
about  Halsted  or  Ohio  Street. 


18  SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 

Service  to  the  North  and  South  Sides. 

As  stated  in  the  outline  for  surface  car  subways,  the  South 
Side  is  in  need  of  relief  from  the  great  congestion  of  the  arteries 
of  travel,  while  the  district  just  north  of  the  Chicago  River, 
near  the  lake,  is  and  has  been  for  years  badly  in  need  of  additional 
transportation  facilities,  and  will  be  much  more  in  need  when  the 
proposed  harbor  and  docks  are  established  in  that  vicinity.  With 
these  facts  in  view,  I  would  suggest  the  following  route  for  the 
first  north  and  south  rapid  transit  subway  construction : 


PROPOSED    WIDENED    MICHIGAN    BOULEVARD — GRANT    PARK — 
INDIANA  AVENUE. 

Beginning  at  Chicago  Avenue ;  thence  south  along  the  line  of 
Pine  Street,  on  the  route  of  the  proposed  boulevard  widening, 
across  the  river  to  Grant  Park ;  thence  diverging  to  the  east  side 
of  Grant  Park,  adjoining  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  right  of 
way,  and  continuing  to  the  south  end  of  Grant  Park,  along  the 
east  line,  then  passing  under  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Station, 
and  coming  to  the  surface  through  a  portal  south  of  12th  Street 
on  *Indiana  Avenue  adjoining  the  right  of  way  of  the  Illinois 
Central  Railroad.  Thence  continuing  on  an  ascending  grade  to 
the  level  of  an  elevated  structure  to  be  built  on  the  east  side  of 
Indiana  Avenue  adjoining  the  Illinois  Central  right  of  way,  as  far 
as  a  point  between  15th  and  16th  streets,  crossing  over  the  St. 
Charles  Air  Line  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad ;  thence  turning 
to  the  right  and  running  west  parallel  to  or  possibly  on  a  second 
story  structure  over  the  tracks  of  the  St.  Charles  Air  Line  to  a 
junction  with  the  South  Side  Elevated  Railroad  lines  just  south 
of  16th  Street. 

Advantages  of  Route. 

The  reasons  for  this  proposed  route  are  as  follows: 

1.  As  previously  stated,  the  Northwestern  Elevated  Rail- 
road is  in  great  need  of  additional  trackage  for  handling  traffic 

*'See  footnote,  page  13. 


RAPID  TRANSIT  SUBWAY  ROUTES.  19 

south  of  its  four-track  line,  two  tracks  of  which  terminate  at 
Chicago  Avenue.  (The  connecting  route  along  Chicago  avenue 
to  be  either  a  subway  or  an  elevated  line). 

2.  The  construction  on  the  proposed  route  of  the  boulevard 
widening   along   Pine   Street   can   be   accomplished   when   that 
improvement  is  made,  together  with  the  surface  line  subway 
requiring  two  walls  for  four  or  more  tracks,  at  much  less  expense 
than  if  built  on  a  street  occupied  and  maintained  for  traffic. 

3.  The  cost  of  construction  through  Grant  Park  will  be 
the  least  of  any  subway  route  possible  to  select.     Only  one  re- 
taining wall  will  be  required  for  any  number  of  tracks  that  may 
be  constructed.    The  retaining  wall  along  the  I.  C.  R.  R.  can  be 
taken  out  and  only  a  roof  required  to  carry  a  depth  of  soil 
sufficient  to  support  the  park  vegetation. 

4.  It  will  bring  this  rapid  transit  line  in  contact  with  the 
rapid  transit  and  surface  line  subways  proposed  for  the  West 
Side  for  easy  interchange  and  transfer. 

5.  The  proposed  elevated  portion,  south  of   12th  Street, 
on  Indiana  Avenue  and  west  along  the  route  of  the  St.  Charles 
Air  Line  to  the  junction  of  the  "South  Side,"  will  cost  only  a 
fraction  of  the  amount  required  for  subway  construction  for 
the  same  distance  in  a  street.    There  can  be  little  objection  to 
the  construction  of  an  elevated  on  this  line  as  it  is  adjoining 
railroad  property  for  the  entire  route  and  there  is  very  little 
occupancy  of  importance  on  the  west  side  facing  Indiana  Avenue 
for  this  distance. 

6.  It  will  afford  much  needed  relief  for  the  South  Side 
Elevated  Railroad  line  past  the  present  greatly  congested  double- 
track  line  north  of  12th  Street,  giving  a  junction  with  the  three- 
track  line  at  the  point  of  connection. 

7.  The   construction   of   thjis   subway   and    the  ^proposed 
elevated  connections  would  not  interfere  in  any  way  with  any 
possible  subway  development  in  the  future. 

8.  Direct  rapid  transit  facilities  will  be  given  to  and  from 
the   North   and   South   Sides  to  the  Illinois   Central   Railroad 
station. 


20  SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 

CHICAGO  AVENUE,  KINGSBURY  TO  PINE  STREET. 

Beginning  at  or  near  Larrabee  Street,  where  connection 
could  be  made  to  a  proposed  line  over  or  along  the  tracks  of  the 
C,  M.  &  St.  P.  Ry.  described  later,  a  double  track  subway  could 
be  built  east  to  connect  with  the  proposed  subway  on  the  pro- 
posed widened  Pine  Street  or  Michigan  Boulevard  extension. 
An  incline  connection  should  be  provided  to  the  Northwestern 
Elevated  at  Chicago  Avenue  west  of  Franklin  Street.  There 
should  be  four  tracks  from  Franklin  Street  to  either  State  or 
Cass  streets.  While  a  cheaper  connection  could  be  made  with 
the  construction  of  an  elevated,  the  extra  cost  of  a  subway  will 
probably  be  justified  in  view  of  proposed  dock  construction  and 
probable  future  business  development  in  this  section. 


FIFTH  AVENUE — FRANKLIN  STREET — KINZIE  (THROUGH). 

With  a  portal  somewhere  near  Polk  Street  a  double  track 
subway  should  be  built  on  Fifth  Avenue  to  a  point  near  the 
river  crossing  where  it  could  turn  to  take  a  northwesterly  direction 
across  the  river  to  about  Franklin  and  Kinzie  streets,  where  it 
would  continue  along  Franklin  Street  until  it  could  be  brought 
up  on  moderate  grades  to  form  a  connection  with  the  present 
elevated  structure  of  the  Northwestern  Elevated  Railroad  on 
Franklin  Street.  At  Kinzie  and  Franklin  streets  a  branch  should 
turn  off  to  the  west  through  Kinzie  to  Kingsbury  Street,  into 
which  it  would  turn  to  the  northwest  and  reach  the  level  of  the 
proposed  elevated  line  (described  later)  over  the  right  of  way 
of  the  C.,  M.  &  St.  P.  Ry.  With  the  south  portal  between 
Harrison  and  Polk  streets  (it  might  be  located  under  the  present 
Fifth  Avenue-Polk  Street  incline)  the  line  should  continue  on 
an  ascending  grade  to  the  level  of  an  elevated  structure  along 
Fifth  Avenue  to  12th  Street,  thence  east  on  12th  Street  to  a 
connection  with  the  South  Side  Elevated  Railroad  at  12th  Street. 
A  connection  should  be  made  by  turning  west  on  12th  Street 
to  reach  a  line  on  Canal  or  Clinton  streets  (described  later  under 
Elevated  Railroads). 


RAPID  TRANSIT  SUBWAY  ROUTES.  21 

Principle  Advantages  of  Route. 

The  following  are  reasons  for  constructing  the  proposed  line : 

1.  It  will  form  an  important  link  for  a  through  north  and 
south  route  through  this  portion  of  the  business  district. 

2.  It  will  give  another  connection  to  the  three-track  portion 
of  the  South  Side  Elevated  Railroad  past  their  present  congested 
double  track  stretch  north  of  12th  Street. 

3.  With  a  connection  on  12th  Street  to  a  proposed  line 
farther  west,  an  outlet  will  be  had  for  rapid  transit  to  the  south- 
west and  south. 

4.  A  connection  would  be  made  to  the  Northwestern  Ele- 
vated Railroad  near  the  four-track  portion  without  the  draw- 
bridge crossing  of  the  river,  and  it  deflects  from  Fifth  Avenue  to 
Franklin  Street  on  relatively  easy  curves,  eliminating  right  angle 
turns. 

5.  When  enough  subways  will  have  been  built  to  take  care 
of  the  traffic  so  that  the  "loop"  structure  can  be  removed,  the 
line  will  take  care  of  the  traffic  handled  by  that  portion  of  the 
'loop/1 

6.  Rapid  transit  service  will  be  furnished  the  Grand  Cen- 
tral or  Harrison  Street  depot. 

7.  With  the  connections  proposed  a  very  flexible  routing 
can  be  had  through  the  business  district  to  reach  the  north,  south 
and  southwest  portions  of  the  city.    Trains  will  be  able  to  reach 
Fifth  Avenue  from  either  the  main  line  or  the  Kingsbury  Street 
connection  of  the  Northwestern  Elevated  to  reach  both  the  South 
Side  Elevated  connection  at  12th  Street  and  the  proposed  line 
out  Canal  or  Clinton  Street  at  12th  Street.    As  Fifth  Avenue  is 
about  midway  between  Michigan  Boulevard  and  Clinton  Street,  a 
division  of  through  routing  of  that  kind  through  the  business 
district  would  seem  to  offer  special  advantages. 

WABASH  AVENUE  OR  STATE  STREET — CHICAGO  AVENUE. 

As  the  final  step  to  provide  for  the  removal  of  the  present 
"loop"  structure,  a  subway  should  be  built  on  either  Wabash 
Avenue  or  State  Street,  about  as  follows: 


22  SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 

Beginning  at  about  Harrison  Street  from  an  incline  con- 
nection to  the  South  Side  Elevated  Railroad,  thence  north 
through  either  Wabash  Avenue  and  Cass  Street  or  State  Street 
to  a  connection  with  the  proposed  subway  previously  described 
on  Chicago  Avenue. 

By  special  six-track  construction  at  Chicago  Avenue  and 
Cass  or  State  Street  for  a  junction  with  Chicago  Avenue,  all 
grade  crossings  can  be  eliminated  and  trains  routed  without 
interference  for  any  desired  movement. 

The  proposed  arrangement  will  give  very  flexible  routing 
from  the  Michigan  Boulevard — Grant  Park  to  either  the  North- 
western Elevated  or  the  proposed  line  via  the  C,  M.  &  St.  P.  Ry. 
Also  from  the  Wabash  Avenue  or  State  Street  line  out  the  same 
routes.  Also  in  the  reverse  order.  See  detail  sketch  (Fig.  3). 

TRACKAGE  IN  THE  BUSINESS  DISTRICT. 

Needs  lor  a  Large  Amount. 

On  account  of  the  frequent  and  long  station  stops  required 
and  the  incidental  delays  in  handling  traffic  in  a  congested  district, 
additional  trackage  should  be  provided  so  that  the  main  stem  of 
a  transportation  system  connecting  with  the  outlaying  districts 
and  branches  can  be  brought  up  to  somewhere  near  its  maximum 
capacity.  The  congested  territory  requiring  frequent  and  long 
stops  is  roughly  embraced  inside  a  radius  of  one  mile  with 
State  and  Madison  streets  as  the  center,  reaching  Chicago  Avenue 
north,  Halsted  Street  west,  12th  Street  south  and  the  Lake  east. 
Within  a  radius  of  four  to  five  miles  from  the  center,  the  traffic 
to  reach  downtown  districts  can  very  well  be  taken  care  of  in 
the  main  by  the  surface  lines.  (Outside  the  one  mile  circle  and 
included  inside  the  four  mile  circle  there  are  now  56  elevated 
stations). 

SUGGESTED  MEANS  OF  SECURING  ADDED  TRACKAGE, 

To  secure  this  added  trackage  in  the  congested  district  for 
both  rapid  transit  and  surface  lines,  it  can  probably  best  be  had  by 
the  construction  of  four  and  three-track  subways  wherever  pos- 


TRACKAGE  IN  BUSINESS  DISTRICT.  23 

sible  in  substantial  accordance  with  the  routes  outlined  above, 
for  the  following  reasons: 

1.  If  the  present  business  district  is  enlarged  and  the  whole 
is  developed  on  the  basis  of  twenty  story  buildings  or  higher, 
the  demands  for  transportation  facilities  may  become  such  as  to 
require  a  four-track  (or  all  that  it  is  possible  to  build)  in  practi- 
cally all  of  the  downtown  streets  in  order  to  afford  adequate 
trackage  and  loading  and  unloading  facilities. 

2.  A  four-track  subway  in  every  alternate  street  will  afford 
about  the  same  capacity  as  a  two-track  subway  in  every  street 
with  only  one-quarter  the  number  of  low  level  crossings. 

3.  While   the   construction  of   a   four-track   subway   will 
probably  be  attended  with  greater  danger  and  damage  to  build- 
ings, there  will  be  only  one-half  as  many  of  them  subject  to  dam- 
age, and  one-quarter  as  many  low  level  crossings. 

4.  Only  one-half  as  many  streets  will  have  to  be  torn  up 
with  the  destruction  and  required  renewal  of  paving,  underground 
construction,  such  as  sewers,  water  and  gas  pipes,  wire  conduits, 
etc. 

5.  With  double  track  construction,  a  heavy  side  wall  will 
be  required  for  each  track,  while  with  four-track  construction 
only  one  wall  will  be  required  for  two  tracks.    In  fact,  when  the 
building  foundations  are  properly  taken  care  of  there  is  perhaps 
little  reason  why  the  entire  space  between  building  lines  cannot 
be  excavated  and  the  necessity  for  side  walls  entirely  removed, 
at  least  for  high  level  subways  opposite  the  more  recently  con- 
structed buildings.     As  there  would  preferably  be  no   station 
platform  in  the  low  level  portion  of  subways,  the  width  would 
be  reduced  to  the  least  possible  and  the  field  of  operation  would 
be  removed  to  some  distance  from  building  foundations  in  eighty- 
foot  streets. 

6.  Only  one-half  the  number  of  business  places  would  be 
interfered  with  and  suffer  business  loss  and  damage  in  securing 
a  given   track   capacity  with   four-track   subways   in   alternate 
streets  as  against  only  two  tracks  in  each  street  occupied. 

7.  By  building  the  suggested  four-track  subways  at  the 
highest  possible  level  in  every-other  street  for  half  their  length, 


24  SUB W AY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 

the  other  half  being  made  up  of  approaches  to  and  from  an 
under  crossing  with  an  intersecting  subway,  it  would  be  possible 
to  build  subways  in  all  intervening  streets  if  developments  proved 
them  to  be  a  necessity  at  any  time  in  the  future.  In  other  words, 
build  two  blocks  continuously  at  the  same  high  level,  and  each 
incline  approach  one  block  long  to  cross  under  another  subway. 
While  that  would  require  a  larger  proportion  of  the  future  sub- 
ways to  be  built  at  a  lower  level  than  those  first  constructed,  still 
there  would  be  this  advantage,  that  many  more  of  the  buildings 
now  on  insecure,  shallow  foundations  will  be  replaced  with  the 
deep  foundation  type. 

8.  The  time  required  for  construction  to  obtain  a  given 
track  capacity  should  be  much  less  if  secured  through  four-track 
construction  in  alternate  streets  than  it  would  be  by  the  con- 
struction of  two-track  subways  in  every  street. 

9.  Although  as  previously  pointed  out,   the   danger  and 
damage  to  buildings  would  probably  be  greater  with  four  than 
it  would  be  with  two-track  construction,  it  is  still  believed  for  the 
reasons  stated  that  the  actual  cost  per  mile  of  single  track  should 
be  considerably  less. 

It  may  be  that  in  many  cases  where  the  excavations  are  to 
be  carried  past  old  buildings,  that  would  be  in  danger  on  account 
of  their  insecure  foundations,  arrangements  could  be  made  with 
the  owners  to  put  in  permanent  deep  foundations  which  would 
serve  for  the  heavier  new  buildings  which  are  almost  certain  to 
be  constructed  in  time. 


JUNCTIONS  WITHOUT  GRADE  CROSSINGS. 

In  arranging  the  junctions  between  two  four-track  lines 
such  as  Lake  Street  and  Milwaukee  Avenue  (Fig.  1)  and  between 
a  two-track  to  a  four-track  such  as  Lake  Street  and  Fifth  Avenue, 
Lake  and  Clark  streets  (Fig.  2)  and  Chicago  Avenue  and  State 
or  Cass  Streets  (Fig.  3)  to  avoid  grade  crossings  will  require 
some  difficult  and  expensive  work. 

On  Lake  Street  east  of  the  junction  at  Milwaukee  Avenue 


JUNCTIONS  WITHOUT  GRADE  CROSSINGS. 


TURNOUT  JUNCTION  Of 
TWO  DOUBLE    TRACK  LINES 
(4  TRACKS)    WITHOUT  GRADE 
CROSSINGS. 

SKETCHED  BY  CHARLLS  K.  MOHLtR. 

CHICAGO,  ILL.  JAN      /3/t. 


FIG.  1.   FOUR-TRACK  TURNOUT  JUNCTION. 


*  TRACKS  AT    HI6H,  Z  AT   LOW  AND  LOW 
LEVEL    DOUBLE    TRACK  JUNCTION   WITHOUT 
CROS5IN6   INTERFERENCES. 

SKETCHED    BY      CHARLES    K.  MOHLEJ?,    LN6INECR 

•u^m.™ 


FIG.    2.      3X>UBLE-TRACK    TURNOUT   FROM  AND   CROSSING   UNDER 
FOUR-TRACK    LINE. 


FUNCTION,    WITHOUT  GRADE. 
CR03SIN6S,  fOff   UN  I  VERSA   ROUTING* 
Of   TWO  DOUBLE    TRA&f  UNC3  M&tolNG 
4NTO  A    FOUR   TRACK   ROUTE. 
SK£TCH£D  0y  CMAftLES  K.  MOHLZR.  cm*. 
NOU  I3tl. 


FIG.   3.      MERGING  OF  TWO   DOUBLE   TRACK    LINES   INTO   FOUR 

TRACKS. 


26  SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 

(Fig.  1),  the  outside  tracks  are  spread  to  allow  two  junction 
tracks  to  branch  off  from  the  center  tracks  and  change  grade 
from  the  main  tracks.  On  reaching  Milwaukee  Avenue  the  three 
north  main  tracks  on  Lake  Street  are  at  such  an  elevation  that 
they  can  cross  under  the  three  west  tracks  turning  in  from  Mil- 
waukee Avenue  at  high  level.  The  low  level  track  on  the  north 
side  of  Lake  Street  and  Milwaukee  Avenue  form  a  natural 
switch  junction  without  any  crossing.  The  south  track  on  Lake 
Street  is  kept  at  the  high  level  to  form  a  junction  with  the  high 
level  track  on  the  south  side  of  Milwaukee  Avenue  and  which 
crosses  at  the  same  level  as  the  center  tracks  of  Milwaukee  Ave- 
nue over  the  three  low  level  tracks  on  Lake  Street. 

It  is  believed  the  sketches  (Figs.  2  and  3),  will  show  the  other 
arrangements  for  the  junction  connections  at  Lake  and  Clark 
Streets,  and  Chicago  Avenue  and  either  Cass  or  State  Streets, 
clearly  enough  without  a  detailed  description. 


SUBWAY  LEVELS  AND  GRADES. 

On  account  of  the  soft,  putty-like  material  underlying  the 
streets  of  Chicago,  it  is  desirable  if  not  essential,  that  the  depths 
of  subways  should  be  kept  at  the  highest  possible  level.  It  is 
believed  that  the  requirement  for  keeping  them  at  the  least  pos- 
sible depth  can  be  accomplished  best  by  alternating  the  crossings, 
so  that  instead  of  maintaining  a  constant  low  level  for  either  the 
east  and  west  or  north  and  south  lines,  either  system  will  be  at 
high  or  low  level  at  any  particular  intersection  to  best  suit  the 
conditions  to  be  met. 

Very  material  added  advantages  which  might  be  derived 
from  undulating  grades  would  be  that  on  approaching  a  high 
level  station,  the  up-grade  would  assist  in  bringing  the  train  to  a 
quick  stop.  On  the  other  hand,  the  down  grade  on  leaving  the 
station  would  be  a  very  decided  aid  in  accelerating  the  cars  or 
trains  and  gaining  in  operating  speed  and  efficiency. 

If  all  stations  were  made  at  the  high  level,  they  would  be 
more  accessible  than  low  level  stations. 


SUBWAY  CONSTRUCTION.  27 

METHODS  OF  CONSTRUCTING  SUBWAYS. 

Relative  Damage  and  Cost. 

As  far  as  I  was  able  to  learn  at  the  meetings  and  hearings, 
or  from  published  reports,  the  methods  of  construction  which 
were  to  be  employed  did  not  seem  to  be  clearly  defined ;  whether 
they  proposed  to  carry  on  the  construction  in  open  cut,  or  under 
cover  maintaining  the  street  surface  open  for  traffic  without  in- 
terruption. As  a  matter  of  fact,  these  features  are  of  the  greatest 
importance  from  the  standpoint  of  the  business  interests  and  prop- 
erty owners  along  the  line  on  which  the  construction  is  to  be  car- 
ried on.  The  probabilities  are,  if  the  work  is  done  in  open  cut,  that 
the  entire  street  will  be  practically  closed  to  traffic  from  curb  to 
curb  for  a  period  of  time  not  much  less  than  two  years  and  possi- 
bly greater.  If  the  construction  is  carried  on  under  cover  and  the 
surface  of  the  street  maintained  for  traffic  the  cost  will  probably 
be  twice  and  possibly  three  times  what  it  will  be  if  done  in  open 
cut. 

FUTURE  SUBWAY  CONSTRUCTION. 

For  "Surface  Cars." 

It  is  believed  that,  after  the  construction  of  the  lines  on 
Lake  Street  and  on  Harrison  Street,  the  natural  requirements 
should  call  for  the  construction  on  the  east  and  west  streets  south 
of  Madison  before  those  to  the  north.  The  reasons  for  such  re- 
quirement would  be  as  follows : 

1.  The  streets  south  of  Madison  are  only  66  feet  wide,  while 
Madison  and  the  streets  north  of  that  are  80  feet  in  width.    The 
66- foot  streets  have  such  a  narrow  roadway  that  with  vehicles 
standing  at  the  curb  a  moving  vehicle  has  not  sufficient  room  to 
pass  between  a  standing  vehicle  and  a  car  on  the  adjoining  track. 
The  roadway  on  an  80-foot  street  is  sufficiently  wide  to  allow  a 
moving  vehicle  to  pass  between  a  street  car  and  a  vehicle  stand- 
ing at  the  curb,  giving  nearly  twice  the  capacity  for  vehicle  and 
street   car  movement  under  conditions   of   full  occupancy  and 
congestion. 

2.  Madison  Street  and  all  of  the  streets  north,  in  addition  to 


28  SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 

being  wider,  are  occupied  with  car  tracks  with  only  the  ordinary 
block  length  intervening.  South  of  Madison,  Monroe  Street  and 
Jackson  Boulevard  do  not  furnish  direct  transportation  facilities 
for  carrying  traffic  out  of  the  business  center,  while  Harrison 
Street  is  a  long  block  (practically  two  blocks)  from  Van  Buren 
and  there  are  no  other  adequate  means  of  outlet  to  the  west  be- 
tween Harrison  and  12th  Streets.  It  is  readily  seen  that  the  dis- 
trict north  of  Madison  is  much  better  supplied  with  free  move- 
ment space  and  surface  car  transportation  facilities  than  is  that 
south.  As  previously  stated,  it  is  believed  that  the  most  subway 
development  and  building  in  the  near  future  should  be  south 
rather  than  north  of  Madison  Street. 


The  Union  Elevated  Railroad  "Loop." 

Before  the  Union  Elevated  Railroad  "loop"  is  removed,  pro- 
vision should  be  made  for  taking  care  of  the  traffic  now  han- 
dled by  that  structure  on  Wabash  and  Fifth  avenues.  While  the 
"loop"  structure  is  an  eye-sore  and  nuisance  in  many  respects, 
still  it  has  created  transportation  demands  which  cannot  be  read- 
ily ignored  or  put  aside. 

The  enormous  cost,  the  time  consumed  and  the  probable 
great  damage  to  adjoining  buildings,  together  with  the  probable 
great  loss  to  business  along  the  route  during  the  construction 
period,  will  be  such  that  very  serious  consideration  should  be 
given  the  whole  situation  before  the  building  of  subways  for  the 
sole  purpose  of  getting  rid  of  the  elevated  structure  in  the  busi- 
ness district  is  undertaken. 

If  every  reasonable  available  means  were  taken  to  improve 
the  structure  so  as  to  render  it  less  unsightly  and  reduce  the  noise 
and  other  nuisance  features  to  the  least  possible  degree,  the  popu- 
lar clamor  against  it  would  largely  disappear.  A  large  factor  to- 
ward the  reduction  of  just  criticism  of  the  "loop"  would  be  the  es- 
tablishment of  through  routes  and  making  the  best  possible  use 
of  the  structure  for  rapid  transit  facilities,  rather  than  using  it 
largely  as  a  terminal  in  the  business  district  on  which  dead  mile- 
age is  run. 


ELEVATED  RAILROAD  DEVELOPMENT.  29 

B.-ELEVATED  RAILROADS. 

There  is  considerable  prejudice  against  elevated  railroads 
which  should  not  be  well  founded  if  effective  means  were  taken 
to  relieve  the  distinctive  nuisance  features  of  the  structure  as 
embodied  in  unsightliness,  noise,  etc.  To  show  that  we  are  in- 
consistent in  our  prejudice  against  elevated  roads,  we  have  only 
to  remember  that  we  have  been  engaged  for  a  number  of  years 
past  in  compelling  the  steam  railroads  throughout  the  city  to 
elevate  their  tracks.  If  an  elevated  structure  is  so  objectionable 
in  one  case,  why  not  in  the  other  ? 

Possible  Routes  to  Develop. 

Before  the  final  adoption  of  subway  routes  is  decided  upon 
there  should  be  a  thorough  investigation  made  of  the  possibili- 
ties which  may  be  developed  in  the  rapid  transit  situation  by 
building  elevated  lines  adjacent  to  or  as  second-story  structures 
over  certain  of  the  steam  railroad  rights  of  way.  As  an  example 
of  what  has  already  been  done  in  this  line  the  construction  of  the 
Northwestern  Elevated  Terminal  over  the  Chicago  &  North- 
western Railway  tracks  on  North  Water  Street,  and  the  Kenwood 
and  Stock  Yards  extensions  of  the  South  Side  Elevated  Railroad 
over  the  Chicago  Junction  Railway  tracks  and  right  of  way  on 
40th  Street,  may  be  noted.  Also  the  Northwestern  Elevated 
operating  over  the  tracks  of  the  C,  M.  &  St.  P.  Ry.  north  of 
Wilson  Avenue  and  the  Metropolitan  West  Side  beside  the  Balti- 
more and  Ohio  Chicago  Terminal  Railroad  west  of  Central 
Avenue,  Austin. 

To  outline  some  of  the  features  and  routes  which  it  is 
believed  should  be  investigated  with  this  object  in  view,  the 
following  suggestions  are  offered  (see  Plates  1  and  2)  : 

(1)    KINGSBURY  STREET,  HAWTHORNE  AVENUE,  ETC. 

The  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railway  occupies  Kings- 
bury  Street  and  Hawthorne  Avenue  east  of  the  north  branch  of 
the  Chicago  River.  It  is  my  understanding  that  these  tracks 
are  to  be  elevated,  and  if  suitable  arrangements  could  be  made 
to  provide  for  elevated  rapid  transit  over  this  right  of  way,  the 
following  possible  advantages  may  be  noted: 


30  SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 

1.  It  would  give  a  direct  diagonal  route  from  Michigan 
Street  to  and  near  Sheffield  Avenue  from  which  point  the  line 
would  turn  north  either  over  Sheffield  Avenue  or  private  right 
of  way  to  a  junction  with  the  four-track  line  of  the  Northwestern 
Elevated  Railroad  at  Sheffield  Avenue  and  Willow  Street. 

2.  The  present  alignment  of  the  Northwestern  Elevated 
from  Michigan  Street  to  Willow  Street  and  Sheffield  Avenue  is 
very  crooked  and  poorly  adapted  to  high  speed  express  service. 

3.  The  alignment  and  location  of  the  route  outlined  over 
the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  tracks  would  lend  itself  to 
high  speed  express  operation. 

4.  The  right  of  way  of  this  route  continues  to  the  north- 
west to  a  point  approximately  at  Diversey  Boulevard  and  Ravens- 
wood  Park,  less  than  a  mile  south  from  where  the  Ravenswood 
Branch  turns  northward.    To  carry  construction  out  to  this  point 
and  then  connect  to  that  part  of  the  Ravenswood  Branch  would 
seem  to  have  possibilities  for  future  development  for  a  direct 
line  and  improved  rapid  transit  for  this  portion  of  the  city  and 
that  lying  farther  northwest. 


(2)     CANAL   OR   CLINTON   STREET — ARCHER   AVENUE — ON   OR 
NEAR  ASHLAND  AVENUE. 

By  carrying  a  line  along  the  north  branch  of  the  Chicago 
River,  starting  at  about  Illinois  Street  and  Kingsbury  Street, 
following  the  right  of  way  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St. 
Paul  to  the  south,  and  crossing  the  north  branch  of  the  Chicago 
River  north  of  Kinzie  Street;  thence  continuing  southwesterly 
either  to  Canal  or  Clinton  Street,  building  south  under  the  Chi- 
cago &  Oak  Park  Elevated  Railroad  past  the  Northwestern  Rail- 
way Terminal  to  a  junction  with  or  an  over-crossing  of  the  main 
line  of  the  Metropolitan  West  Side  Elevated  Railway;  thence 
continuing  south  over  either  Clinton  Street,  Canal  Street  or  along 
the  right-of-way  of  the  Pittsburgh,  Fort  Wayne  &  Chicago  Rail- 
way (Pennsylvania),  to  cross  the  south  branch  of  the  Chicago 
River,  reaching  the  lines  of  either  the  Chicago  &  Alton,  the  Illinois 
Central,  or  the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe;  thence  running 


ELEVATED  RAILROAD  ROUTES.  31 

southwesterly  between  Archer  Avenue  and  the  Chicago  River. 
The  line  could  follow  the  right  of  way  of  some  one  of  these 
roads,  say  to  some  point  in  the  vicinity  of  Ashland  Avenue,  at 
which  point  it  would  turn  south  to  run  past  the  Stock  Yards 
District.  A  connection  could  be  made  to  the  Stock  Yards  branch 
of  the  South  Side  Elevated  Railroad.  An  extension  might  well 
be  carried  down  to  63rd  Street  along  or  near  Ashland  Avenue  to 
form  a  junction  with  the  terminus  of  the  Englewood  branch  also. 

(2a)     ARCHER  AVENUE  OR  SOUTHWEST  EXTENSION. 

A  continuation  or  extension  of  the  line  along  the  right  of  way 
of  the  above  named  railroads  (preferably  the  Chicago  &  Alton) 
as  far  as  Western  Avenue,  might  be  desirable  also  to  serve  the 
territory  still  farther  southwest. 

(3)  INDIANA  AVENUE — 16TH  STREET. 

As  previously  outlined  under  Subways,  an  elevated  structure 
was  proposed  over  the  right  of  way  of  the  Illinois  Central  or 
St.  Charles  Air  Line  north  of  16th  Street  from  Indiana  Avenue 
to  a  junction  with  the  South  Side  Elevated  Railroad.  This  same 
line  could  also  be  continued  westward  from  the  junction  with  the 
South  Side  Elevated  Railroad  along  the  right  of  way  of  the  St. 
Charles  Air  Line  until  the  right  of  way  of  the  C,  B.  &  Q.  R.  R., 
or  the  C.  &  N.  W.  Ry.,  west  of  the  river,  was  reached,  and  con- 
tinuing west  to  a  junction  with  the  proposed  Canal  Street  line, 
etc.,  described  under  (2). 

(4)  FIFTH  AVENUE — 12TH  STREET. 

(See  Subway  page  20.)  The  branch  to  the  west  over  12th 
Street  might  well  turn  off  at  about  Fifth  Avenue  and  Taylor 
Street  and  cross  the  river  over  the  right-of-way  of  the  Baltimore 
&  Ohio  Railroad.  (See  Plate  1). 

(5)    CHICAGO  AVENUE. 

If  the  construction  along  Hawthorne  Street  is  carried  out 
as  suggested  under  (1),  it  would  be  possible  to  construct  either 


32  SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 

a  subway  or  elevated  line  along  Chicago  Avenue  from  the  North- 
western Elevated  to  a  junction  with  this  route,  giving  a  more 
direct  route  for  the  rapid  transit  trains  operating  on  the  North 
Side  through  the  proposed  Michigan  Avenue  and  Grant  Park 
subway.  (See  Subway,  page  20.)  (If  the  subway  previously 
described  is  built  this  line  is  unnecessary.) 

(6)  NORTHWESTERN — METROPOLITAN — SOUTH    SIDE    CONNEC- 

TION. 

To  connect  the  Ravens  wood  Branch  to  Logan  Square 
Branch  and  the  Douglas  Park  Branch  to  the  Proposed  Canal — 
Archer — Ashland  line. 

With  the  development  on  the  routes  outlined,  it  would  be 
possible  to  connect  up  these  proposed  systems  and  the  existing 
systems  with  comparatively  little  added  trackage  to  give  a  con- 
tinous  north  and  south  line,  comprised  as  follows: 

That  part  of  the  Ravenswood  Branch  of  the  North- 
western Elevated  located  west  of  Ravenswood  Park  Ave- 
nue and  north  of  Roscoe  street;  thence  a  new  route  run- 
ning south  from  where  the  Ravenswood  branch  turns  east 
near  Roscoe  Street,  to  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul 
right  of  way  southeasterly  to  about  North  Hermitage  Ave- 
nue; thence  south  along  or  near  Hermitage  Avenue  to  a 
junction  with  the  Metropolitan  West  Side  Elevated  Railway  at 
Milwaukee  Avenue  west  of  Paulina  Street;  then  using  the 
existing  line  of  the  Metropolitan  Elevated  Railway  south  to  a 
point  near  the  intersection  of  Paulina  and  21st  streets;  thence 
continuing  south  to  a  junction  with  the  proposed  line  along  the 
right  of  way  of  the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe,  or  the  Illinois 
Central,  or  Chicago  &  Alton  near  or  along  Archer  Avenue,  as 
outlined  under  (2). 

(7)  MILWAUKEE  AVENUE  EXTENSION  FROM  PAULINA  TO  LAKE 

STREET. 

To  take  care  of  the  demands  for  transportation  seeking 
entrance  from  the  northwest  over  Milwaukee  Avenue,  it  is 
believed  that  an  extension  of  the  Metropolitan  Elevated  on  or 


ELEVATED  RAILROADS,  ADVANTAGES.  33 

near  Milwaukee  Avenue  should  be  made  to  connect  with  the 
suggested  elevated  line  on  Canal  or  Clinton  Street,  as  well  as 
with  the  proposed  subway  in  Milwaukee  Avenue  extending  to 
Halsted  Street. 

(8)     THE  OUTLYING  DISTRICTS. 

A  glance  at  Plate  2  will  show  the  great  extent  of  territory 
lying  within  the  city  limits  to  the  southeast,  south,  southwest  and 
northwest  not  yet  served,  but  which  will  require  service  in  the 
future.  Some  sections  are  badly  in  need  of  the  service  at  present. 

Advantage  to  be  Derived. 

This  part  of  the  subject  has  not  been  gone  into  in  much 
detail  or  the  situation  studied  in  the  field,  and  this  outline  is 
offered  merely  as  suggestions  to  point  out  the  possibilities  that 
may  be  developed.  The  particular  advantages  believed  to  lie 
in  the  development  along  these  lines  are  that  the  right  of  way 
already  occupied  by  railroad  tracks  in  many,  if  not  all  cases, 
could  be  used  to  a  decided  advantage  for  this  additional  rapid 
transit  development  by  the  use  of  a  second-story  structure  without 
any  further  damage  to  adjoining  property  or  any  additional  occu- 
pancy of  ground  than  is  already  taken  up  for  transportation 
purposes.  Another  feature  of  the  proposed  routing  worthy  of 
consideration  is  the  fact  that  where  a  route  does  not  follow  along 
or  on  the  actual  tracks  of  some  steam  railroad,  the  greater  part 
of  the  routing  is  past  or  across  steam  railroad  property.  The 
steam-road  tracks  are  in  many  cases  already  elevated. 

The  cost  for  constructing  elevated  roads  over  such  trackage 
as  outlined  would  probably  be  more  than  ordinarily  required  for 
building  in  a  street  or  over  private  right  of  way,  but  the  damage 
claims  should  be  little  or  nothing  and  the  whole  would  unquestion- 
ably be  only  a  small  fraction  of  the  cost  required  for  the  con- 
struction of  subways.  When  account  is  taken  of  the  decided 
saving  in  cost  of  this  kind  of  construction  over  that  required  for 
the  construction  of  subways  and  the  fact  that  little  or  no  additional 
damage  is  caused  to  adjoining  property  and  the  comparative  ease 
and  facility  with  which  the  construction  may  be  carried  out, 


34  SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 

it  is  believed  this  should  receive  very  serious  consideration.  For 
long  haul  rapid  transit  on  a  five-cent  fare  basis  the  expenditures 
for  right-of-way  and  construction  must  be  kept  on  the  lowest 
possible  basis  to  reduce  the  fixed  charges  and  prevent  them  from 
becoming  too  great  a  burden  for  the  traffic  to  support. 

Still  other  advantages  which  may  be  considered  of  the 
greatest  importance  would  be  that  traffic  could  be  passed  from 
the  North  to  the  South,  and  the  North  and  South  to  the  West 
Sides  destined  to  those  points  and  vice-versa,  without  requiring 
all  of  this  outside  traffic  to  be  carried  through  the  business 
district,  with  the  great  over-crowding,  congestion  and  delay 
caused  by  the  demands  from  that  district  alone,  as  is  now  the 
case.  The  lines  through  the  business  district  should  not  be  bur- 
dened with  traffic  which  has  no  desire  or  need  of  passing  through 
that  point. 

ENLARGEMENT  OF  THE  BUSINESS  OR  DELIVERY  DISTRICT. 

The  line  on  Canal  or  Clinton  Street  would  serve  to  draw 
traffic  away  from  the  congested  loop  center  rather  than  to  still 
further  increase  it.  It  would  be  accessible  and  convenient  to  a 
large  amount  of  the  manufacturing  and  business  interests  both 
on  the  east  and  west  sides  of  the  river  in  this  territory  and  tend 
to  reduce  the  overcongestion  of  the  surface  line  on  Halsted 
Street.  It  would  so  expand  the  rapid  transit  facilities  lying  back 
from  the  congested  center  that  it  probably  would  lead  to  very 
important  developments  in  the  territory  served,  thereby  further 
relieving  the  tendency  toward  central  congestion,  which  certainly 
will  increase  if  no  adequate  transportation  facilities  are  offered 
other  than  bringing  everything  down  to  the  already  overcrowded 
territory.  Taking  the  boundaries  included  in  the  proposed  de- 
velopment, Chicago  Avenue  on  the  north,  Grant  Park  on  the  east, 
16th  Street  on  the  south  and  Canal  or  Clinton  Street  on  the  west, 
the  delivery  district  will  have  been  enlarged  to  an  area  of  two 
square  miles  or  fully  eight  times  that  at  present  included  inside 
the  boundaries  of  the  elevated  "loop." 

We  continually  hear  the  plea  for  an  enlargement  of  the 


ORDER  OF  DEVELOPING  ADDED  FACILITIES.  35 

business  district.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  object  would  be  attained 
in  part. 

The  proposed  route  described  under  (6)  will  be  a  still  greater 
enlargement  and  give  much  freer  movement  for  the  flow  of  traffic 
from  one  portion  of  the  city  to  the  other  without  increasing  con- 
gestion and  contribute  to  a  more  healthful  growth  and  develop- 
ment. The  over-crowding  on  Ashland  Avenue,  and  in  part  the 
Halsted  Street  line  would  be  relieved  by  the  completion  of  this 
route. 

I  may  repeat  that  we  should  not  allow  our  judgment  to  be 
too  much  biased  by  sentiment  for  subways.  If  we  can  secure 
from  four  to  eight  miles  of  elevated  route,  where  we  can  only 
have  one  of  subway,  the  already  great  and  growing  needs  for 
rapid  transit  at  low  cost  would  seem  to  demand  the  less  expensive 
construction  wherever  the  routing  can  be  so  secured  that  there 
will  result  little  or  no  added  damage  to  property  or  disfigure- 
ment of  the  city  as  a  whole.  A  glance  at  Plate  2  will  show  the 
great  extent  of  territory  inside  the  city  limits  to  the  south,  south- 
west, west  and  northwest  not  yet  served  with  rapid  transit. 

ORDER  OF  DEVELOPMENT 

From  the  limited  study  given  the  matter,  I  believe  the  order 
of  development  might  be  about  as  follows: 

1.  Lake  Street — Grant  Park — Harrison  Street,  with  Mil- 
waukee Avenue  connection,  for  both  "Surface  Car"  and  Rapid 
Transit  Routes. 

2.  Clark  Street  (Through  and  Short  Trip),  "Surface  Car" 
Routes. 

3.  Michigan  Boulevard — Grant  Park — Indiana  Avenue,  for 
both  Surface  Car  and  Rapid  Transit  Routes. 

3a.  Hawthorne  Kingsbury — Clinton — On  or  near  Ashland, 
Elevated  Route. 

4.  Northwestern — Metropolitan   to   Junction   with   Archer 
Avenue  Line  of  (2),  Elevated  Route. 

5.  Milwaukee  Avenue,  Paulina  to  Lake  and  Clinton,  Ele- 
vated Route. 


36  SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 

6.  Fifth   Avenue   Subways   and   Elevated   connections   to 
North  and  South  Routes. 

7.  State  Street  Subway  Route. 

JUNCTIONS  AND  CROSSINGS. 

In  both  elevated  and  subway  construction,  all  grade  crossing 
junctions  should  be  avoided  if  possible.  In  most  instances  the 
elimination  of  grade  crossings  will  add  considerably  to  the  cost. 

In  the  case  of  elevated  lines,  however,  by  constructing  one 
track  and  its  branch  connection  at  a  high  level  and  the  other  at  low 
level  the  increased  cost  will  be  moderate. 

The  possibility  of  grade  crossing  elimination  at  junctions 
seems  to  have  been  ignored  in  this  country  with  few  exceptions. 

THROUGH  ROUTING. 

From  the  North  and  South  Sides  to  the  West  Side. 

In  the  different  plans  submitted  there  was  more  or  less  em- 
phasis placed  on  through-routing  of  trains  from  the  west  to 
the  south  side  and  from  the  west  to  the  north  side  and  vice  versa. 
At  first  thought  this  might  appear  to  be  a  very  desirable  fea- 
ture to  introduce.  On  analysis,  it  would  seem  to  possess  very  lit- 
tle, if  any,  advantage,  if  it  were  undertaken  to  follow  the  method 
out  to  a  logical  conclusion,  for  the  following  reasons : 

( 1 )  Most  of  the  traffic  carried  by  the  elevated  roads  at  pres- 
ent from  the  west  side  comes  into  the  business  district  without 
riding  through  either  to  the  north  or  south  side. 

(2)  The  "Northwestern"  operates  two  branches,  the  "South 
Side"  four,  the  "Metropolitan"  four  and  the  "Oak  Park"  one,  the 
trains  from  which  reach  the  business  district.    If  it  were  under- 
taken to  inter-through-route  all  of  these  lines  and  branches  there 
would  not  only  be  an  endless  complication,  but  any  train  making 
any  particular  route  would  be  so  infrequent  and  the  required  wait 
entailed  upon  a  passenger  to  get  his  particular  train  routing  over 
the  desired  line  would  be  so  great  that  there  would  probably  be 
no  advantage  whatever  in  attempting  to  do  this.     If  universal 


SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  COSTS.  37 

through-routing  throughout  the  different  branches  is  not  to  be 
introduced,  then  who  is  to  answer  the  question  as  to  what  par- 
ticular branch  or  branches  are  to  be  selected  on  which  through 
route  trains  are  to  be  operated? 

Principal  Advantage. 

It  is  not  a  question  of  through  trains  for  accommodating 
this  traffic  so  much  as  it  is  a  question  of  saving  dead  mileage  in 
the  operation  of  trains  entering  or  passing  through  the  business 
district.  The  slight  inconvenience  of  transfer  to  the  few  pas- 
sengers passing  from  one  division  of  the  city  to  another  is  really 
of  slight  importance. 

One  of  the  fundamental  principles  to  be  kept  in  mind  is  to 
so  arrange  transportation  systems  that  the  tendency  toward  over- 
congestion  may  be  avoided.  Through-routing  between  the  north 
and  south  sides  is  believed  very  desirable  and  important.  One 
or  more  north  and  south  through  lines,  west  of  the  present  con- 
gested center  with  convenient  transfer  to  the  different  divisions 
of  the  city,  without  the  necessity  of  carrying  all  transfer  passen- 
gers through  the  zone  of  congestion,  should  go  a  long  way  toward 
relie/ing  present  bad  conditions  and  promote  a  more  healthy  ex- 
pansion. 

ESTIMATES  OF  COST. 

Subways  in  Streets. 

It  is  believed  that  all  of  the  estimates  of  cost  presented  by 
the  different  parties  offering  plans  were  far  too  low.  Instead 
of  the  estimates  then  given  of  a  million  dollars  (and  in  some 
cases  less)  for  a  mile  of  single  track,  it  is  believed  that  an  esti- 
mate of  two  million  dollars  per  single  track  mile  (  four  million  dol- 
lars per  mile  of  double  track)  is  none  too  high  and  possibly  may 
be  greatly  exceeded.  As  an  illustration,  I  might  state  that  for 
about  a  mile  of  double  track  subway  built  in  Boston,  namely  on 
Washington  Street,  the  cost  was  somewhat  over  eight  million 
dollars.  The  difficulties  to  be  contended  with  in  Boston  on  ac- 
count of  unsuitable  soil  and  insecure  foundations  were  probably 


38  SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 

nowhere  near  as  great  as  as  those  which  it  may  be  expected  will 
be  encountered  in  the  Chicago  streets. 

In  the  January,  1911,  number  of  the  Annals  of  the  American 
Academy  of  Political  and  Social  Science,  Mr.  Wm.  S.  Twining, 
formerly  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Philadelphia  Rapid  Transit  Co., 
gives  the  following  estimate  of  probable  costs  for: 

Per  Mile  of  Route — Double-track. 
Lowest  Cost.  Average  Cost. 

Surface  line  (trolley)   $     30,000  $     50,000 

Open  floor  elevated 300,000  400,000 

Solid  floor  elevated  550,000  700,000 

Subways    2,000,000  4,000,000 

For  detailed  estimates  of  cost  and  the  amount  of  mileage  for 
Subway  and  Elevated  construction  covered  in  the  preceding  out- 
line of 'suggested  routes,  see  Tables  1  and  2.  Table  1  covers 
Rapid  Transit  Lines  and  Table  2  "Surface  Car"  Subways. 


OPEN  CUT  VERSUS  STREET  SURFACE  MAINTAINED  FOR  TRAFFIC. 

As  previously  stated,  if  the  work  is  done  under  cover,  so 
as  to  maintain  the  surface  of  the  street  open  for  traffic,  the  cost 
will  probably  be  from  two  to  three  times  the  amount  required  to 
do  it  in  open  cut. 

Subways  in  Grant  Park,  etc. 

The  cost  for  subways  under  Grant  Park,  on  account  of  free- 
dom from  obstructions  of  any  kind  (except  the  Art  Institute  and 
passing  under  the  I.  C.  station),  open  cut  construction  and  the 
proposed  large  number  of  parallel  tracks,  not  requiring  heavy 
side  walls,  would  probably  not  be  over  $500,000  per  mile  of  sin- 
gle track,  and  might  be  less. 

First  Glass  Elevated  Structure. 

The  cost  for  a  solid  floor  elevated  structure,  such  as  suggested 
be  built  to  connect  the  present  elevated  railroads,  should  not  be 
over  about  $200,000  to  $250,000  per  single  track  mile.  Subways 
will  probably  cost  from  four  to  eight  times  as  much  as  an  ele- 
vated structure  per  mile.  In  other  words,  you  can  build  from  4 
to  8  miles  of  elevated  to  one  mile  of  subway. 


SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  COSTS.  39 

TABLE  1. 

MILEAGE  AND  COST  OF  SUGGESTED  RAPID  TRANSIT  LINES. 

Route  Length 
of  Double  Track 
Mile. 


LOCATION. 

On  or  Near  From  To 

SUBWAYS 

Lake  St Peoria  St Grant  Park 1.24 

Grant  Park Lake  St Van  Buren  St..           ...  .60 

Harrison  St.    Grant  Park   Peoria  St 1.24 

Michigan  A  v  e.   and 

Grant   Park   Chicago   Ave.    ...13th  St 2.68 

Chicago  Ave Larrabee  St Michigan  Blvd. .           ...  1.20 

5th  Ave.  and  Frank- 
lin St Chicago   Ave.    . . .  Taylor  St ...  1.64 

Milwaukee  Ave Ohio  St Lake  St ...  .68 

Wabash  or  State Harrison  St Chicago  Ave.  ..           ...  1.50 

Chicago   Ave State  or  Cass  St.  .Franklin  St.   ...           ...  .45 

Total 11.23 

Miles  of  Single  Track,  22.46. 

Total  Approximate  Cost,  $43,030,000.00. 


ELEVATED  LINES. 
Near    R  a  venswood 

Park,  C,  M.  &  St. 

P.  and  Hermitage.. Roscoe  St Milwaukee  Ave.  1.80  .80 

C.,  M.  &  St.  P.  and 

Canal  Willow  St Madison  St 2.36 

Canal    and    C.    &   A. 

Right-of-Way Madison  St Western  Ave.. . .  5.00 

Ashland   Ave Archer  Ave 63d  St 1.96         3.28 

42d  St Ashland  Ave.    ...Jet.  Stock  Yds..  .36 

63d  St Ashland   Ave.    ...Loomis  St ...  .28 

Michigan  St Franklin  St Kingsbury   St 08  .12 

Milwaukee  Ave Paulina  St Lake  St .50         1.60 

5th  Ave Taylor   St 12th  St .32 

12th  St Canal  St Alley  E.  of  State  .64 

16th  St Canal  St Indiana  Ave.   ..  .84 

Indiana  Ave 13th  St 16th  St .36          ... 

Totals  14.22         6.08 

tGrand  Total,  Elevated  Lines:    Miles  of  double  track,  20.30;  miles  of  sin- 
gle track,  40.60;  approximate  cost,  $10,150,000.00. 

*3.28  miles  of  double  track  subway  route  is  on  the  route  of  the  pro- 
posed widening  of  Pine  Street  (Michigan  Boulevard)  and  through  Grant 
Park.  Estimated  cost  per  mile  of  double  track,  $1, 000,000,  amounting  to 
$3,280.000.  The  balance,  or  7.95  miles,  is  located  through  streets  and  esti- 
mated at  $5,000,000  per  double-track  mile,  amounting  to  $39,750,000. 

tElevated  estimated  at  $500,000  per  double-track  mile. 


40  SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 


TABLE  2. 

MILEAGE  AND  COST  OF  "SURFACE  CAR"  SUBWAYS. 

Route 

LOCATION  Length 

Double 

On  From  To  Track  Remarks 

Milea 

Lake  St Peoria  St Grant   Park. . .  1.24    Park  construction 

Grant  Park  Lake  St Harrison  St..  .80 

Harrison  St.   ...SrantPark  Peoria  St.  ...  1.32Or  near  Halsted  St. 

Clark  St Lake  St Harrison   St. .  .76 

Clark  St Illinois  St Taylor  St.  ...  1.38 

Grant   Park   and 

Michigan  Bd ..  Chicago  Ave 14th  St 2.24    Park  construction 

Milwaukee  Ave. .Ohio  St Lake  St 64 

Total 8.38 

Total  Park      Construction..  3.04  miles      Approximate  Cost..$  3,040,000 
tTotal  Street    Construction . .  5.34  miles      Approximate  Cost . .  26,700,000 


Grand   Total    8.38  miles      Approximate  Cost.  .$29,740,000 


*Park  Construction,  estimated  to  cost  $1,000,000  per  double-track  mile. 
tStreet    Construction,    estimated    to    cost    $5,000,000    per    double-track 
mile. 

Single  track  mileage,  16.76  miles. 


RECAPITULATION  OF  MILEAGE  AND  COST  OF  ALL  LINES. 

"Surface  Car"   Subways 8.38  miles  double  track  cost  $29,740,000 

Rapid  Transit   Subways 11.23  miles  double  track  cost    43,030,000 

Rapid  Transit  Elevated  Lines. . . .  20.30  miles  double  track  cost    10,150,000 


Totals  Double  Track  Route 39.91  miles,  cost $82,920,000 

Total   Single  Track  Mileage. ..  .79.8    miles 


NOTE  :  The  estimate  of  $5,000,000  per  double-track  mile  of 
street  construction  is  based  on  "covered"  wofk  or  maintaining  the 
street  open  for  traffic.  The  cost  of  reconstructing  the  under- 
ground utilities  and  the  damage  to  buildings  may  be  such  as  to 
considerably  increase  that  figure. 


FINANCING,  DISTRIBUTION  OF  TRAFFIC,  ETC.  41 

FINANCING. 

At  least  one  project  presented  at  the  hearings  was  devoted 
almost  exclusively  to  a  proposal  to  finance  a  comprehensive  sub- 
way system.  Others  offered  general  plans  or  some  particular 
type  of  operating  equipment  with  offers  to  finance  the  under- 
taking. 

The  Traction  Fund. 

At  present  the  proposition  to  employ  the  accumulated  sur- 
plus from  the  traction  fund  for  starting  subway  construction  and 
use  up  the  future  income  from  the  same  source  as  fast  as  it  is 
available  for  continuing  the  development,  seems  to  have  gained 
considerable  popular  favor. 

AMOUNT  INADEQUATE  To  MEET  REQUIREMENTS. 

As  pointed  out  above,  the  estimates  of  cost  to  construct  under 
the  great  difficulties  to  be  encountered  in  constructing  subways  in 
Chicago  are  probably  much  too  low.  It  appears  to  the  writer  that 
the  demands  for  relief  from  surface  congestion  and  added  rapid 
transit  facilities  are  such  that  the  funds  available  from  that  source 
(at  the  present  time  about  $7,000,000,  with  the  yearly  accumula- 
tion of  $1,500.000)  will  be  inadequate  to  meet  the  requirements. 

Distribution  oi  Surface  and  Elevated  Traffic. 

From  such  data  as  available,  such  as  that  contained  in  the 
"Supplemental  Report  on  Subways,  1909,"  (not  published)  and 
the  passenger  earnings  as  given  in  published  statements,  it  appears 
that  the  surface  lines  of  the  city  carry  about  74  per  cent  and  the 
elevated  lines  about  26  per  cent  of  the  total  city  traffic. 

In  the  discussion  following  the  presentation  of  his  plan  for 
subways,  Mr.  R.  C.  St.  John  made  a  statement  to  the  effect  that : 

Of  the  total  number  of  passengers  carried  by  the  surface 
lines,  less  than  25  per  cent  are  delivered  to  or  taken  from  the 
business  district.  The  other  75  per  cent  are  carried  outside  of  this 
district. 


42  SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 

Of  the  elevated  passengers  about  82  per  cent  are  delivered 
to  and  received  from  the  business  or  "loop"  district,  leaving  18 
per  cent  of  outside  origin  and  delivery. 

Equity  oi  the  Proposed  Use  oi  Traction  Funds. 

During  this  discussion,  Alderman  Foell  raised  the  following 
pertinent  question : 

"Do  you  think  it  entirely  equitable  that  all  the  money  re- 
ceived by  the  city  from  the  Traction  Company  should  be  expended 
in  that  portion  of  the  city  where  only  25  per  cent  of  the  people 
that  ride  on  the  surface  lines  really  want  to  go  ?  In  other  words, 
the  total  traction  fund,  which  is  contributed  by  the  people  all  over 
the  city,  is  being  expended  in  a  section  through  which  less  than 
25  per  cent  of  the  people  who  use  surface  cars  go." 

If  the  above  figures  are  substantially  correct,  the  use  of  the 
accumulated  traction  fund  for  building  subways  will  amount  to 
a  contribution  by  one  part  of  the  traveling  public  for  the  benefit 
of  another  without  any  compensating  benefits  in  the  following 
manner : 

1.  "Surface  Car"  Subways :    If  "surface  car"  subways  alone 
are  built  with  the  traction  fund,  only  25  per  cent  of  the  "surface 
car"  passengers  will  be  benefited  while  the  other  75  per  cent  will 
have  to  share  equally  the  burden  of  the  cost. 

2.  Rapid  Transit  Subways :    If ,  on  the  other  hand,  the  trac- 
tion fund  is  used  for  constructing  rapid  transit  (or  elevated  train) 
subways  all  of  the  surface  car  traffic  will  be  taxed  for  the  benefit 
of  the  elevated  or  rapid  transit  service  with  which  it  has  nothing 
whatever  to  do.    This  does  not  seem  like  an  equitable  arrange- 
ment. 

It  may  be  claimed  that  with  consolidation  of  the  rapid  transit 
and  surface  lines  this  last  objection  will  disappear.  If  consolida- 
tion were  an  accomplished  fact,  however,  the  use  of  the  surface 
line  fund  for  rapid  transit  subway  building  alone  would  mean  that 
74  per  cent  of  the  entire  traveling  public  would  be  taxed  for  the 
benefit  of  the  21  per  cent  which  use  the  elevated  lines  to  the  busi- 
ness district,  and  are  not  taxed  themselves,  or  have  to  bear  any 


THE  MODERN  CITY,   TRANSPORTATION.  43 

of  the  burden  imposed  to  secure  the  better  facilities  which  they 
would  enjoy. 

DISTRIBUTION  OF  TOTAL  TRAFFIC. 

To  summarize  the  traffic  distribution  as  relating  to  the  above 
problem  in  percentage : 

CLASS  OF  SERVICE.  DESTINATIONS  IN  PER  CENTS  OF  TOTAL  TRAFFIC. 

Business  Dist.  Outside  Business  Dist.  Totals. 

Elevated 21.32  04.68  26.00 

Surface  Line   18.50  55.50  74.00 

Totals  39.82  60.18  100.00 

It  may  be  pertinent  to  repeat  Alderman  Foell's  question  if  it 
is  really  a  wise  policy  to  depend  on  the  traction  fund  for  any  such 
purpose.  In  fact,  should  there  be  any  accumulation  of  this  fund  ? 

If  there  is  any  surplus  would  it  not  be  better  to  use  it  for 
bettering  the  service  until  the  present  rush-hour  crowding  is 
somewhat  reduced  from  the  current  practice?  After  accomplish- 
ing that  a  reduction  in  fares  may  logically  follow. 

CONCLUSION. 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  the  subject  is  of  such  magnitude  that 
nothing  more  than  a  mere  outline  could  be  attempted  above. 

It  not  only  involves  engineering  and  transportation  questions, 
but  financial,  legal,  ethical  and  even  sociological. 

Adequate  and  cheap  urban  transportation  is  of  such  vast  and 
vital  importance  to  the  modern  city,  that  it  should  receive  full 
recognition  by  the  municipality  and  full  measures  should  be  under- 
taken for  providing  it.  This  vital  necessity  should  not  be  left  to 
mere  chance  or  have  to  depend  on  private  enterprise  or  exploita- 
tion. The  municipality  should  at  least  undertake  to  provide  the 
right-of-way  over  which  urban  transportation  is  to  be  carried.  It 
might  well  go  a  step  farther  and  furnish  the  structure  on  or 
through  which  the  traffic  is  carried. 

At  this  point  it  is  pertinent  to  raise  the  question  as  to  whether 
we  should  not  at  once  busy  ourselves  with  the  larger  question  of 
city  planning  having  to  do  with  the  location  of  industrial,  man- 


44  SUBWAY  AND  ELEVATED  R.  R.  DEVELOPMENT. 

ufacturing  and  trade  centers.  If  we  simply  allow  things  to  drift 
aimlessly  without  any  intelligent  effort  to  give  direction,  we  can 
only  expect  the  conditions  tending  to  produce  traffic  congestion 
will  grow  continually  worse  until  we  are  simply  overwhelmed. 

It  goes  without  saying  that  there  are  many  industries  located 
in  the  congested  districts  which  could  just  as  well,  if  not  better, 
carry  on  their  business  operations  in  the  outlying  districts  of  the 
city,  where  their  employes  could  live  within  walking  distance  of 
their  work  instead  of  being  compelled  to  crowd  the  transportation 
lines  twice  a  day. 

With  the  present  tendency  of  everything  toward  the  con- 
gested center  one  new  transportation  facility  will  no  sooner  have 
been  introduced  than  it  will  become  overtaxed. 

There  is  probably  not  a  single  city  of  any  size  in  the  country 
that  has  met  or  is  now  meeting  its  transportation  demands  in 
anything  like  an  adequate  manner.  Chicago  is  no  exception,  un- 
less it  is  entitled  to  the  credit  of  being  one  of  the  worst  laggards. 

With  the  great  mileage  of  steam  railroads  throughout  the 
city  which  has  been  or  is  to  be  elevated,  can  we  afford  to  be  too 
sentimental  about  elevated  lines  for  city  rapid  transit?  As  pre- 
viously stated,  a  single  track  mile  of  subway  in  a  Chicago  street 
will  cost  from  four  to  eight  times  as  much  as  a  single 
track  mile  of  first-class  elevated  road.  In  a  word,  if  the  conditions 
shown  in  the  reconstruction  of  the  old  tunnels  is  any  criterion, 
subway  building  in  Chicago  will  be  attended  with  some  difficulty. 
These  difficulties  and  the  great  amount  of  damage  which  may 
result  from  subway  construction  in  the  streets  are  little  under- 
stood or  appreciated  by  the  general  public. 


